The Way of the Ring
by Calenlass Greenleaf1
Summary: OLD. A series of three prose poems examining why so many people fall for the Ring. First is the obsession, second is the process of corruption, and third is the addiction. Rating is for angst and because of the theme. Now complete.
1. Obession

**Title:** Obsession

**Author:** Calenlass Greenleaf

**Disclaimer: **_The Lord of the Rings_ is the work of Tolkien; I own nothing save the words of this poem.

**Spoilers:** Spoilers for a small part of _The Silmarillion_, _The Hobbit_, _The Fellowship of the Ring_, _The Two Towers_, and _The Return of the King_.

**Rating:** PG-13 for the subject. 'Tis not pleasant, but simply the truth.

**Genre: **Angst/Poetry

**Summary: **A prose poem exploring exactly _why_ did so many people fall for the Ring's lure. No slash, sex, smut, profanity, or romance in content. It's been titled "Obsession" because that's what the love of the Ring is. Maybe more people will have some sympathy for Gollum and Frodo if they knew what they were going through. (I know a number of people who call Frodo a "stupid idot" because he didn't throw the Ring into the fire of Mount Doom when he was supposed to. Some of them also hate Boromir for that, too. If only they knew how difficult it was.)

**A/N: **Please pardon any spelling/grammar mistakes. My computer broke down, and now I am forced to use a laptop that does not have Microsoft Office installed. I hope to get my computer fixed, but it might take some time.

* * *

_Three Rings for the Elf-lords under the sky,_

_Seven for the Dwarf Lords in their halls of stone,_

_Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,_

_One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne_

_In the land of Mordor where the Shadows lie._

_One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,_

_One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them_

_In the land of Mordor where the Shadows lie._

— The One Ring, from _The Lord of the Rings_

* * *

**Obsession**

It whispers of greed,

Of wanton desire,

Of secret betrayal.

oOo

It calls your name,

Enticing you to claim it for your own,

Tempting you with many things.

oOo

It promises you fame,

Wealth,

Immortality,

And above all,

_Power_.

oOo

Thoughts of the Ring consume you,

Searing your mind until you scream in agony of it,

Wearing you down until you are filled with its lust,

Until you can no longer endure it.

oOo

It seeks to chain you,

Trap you,

To capture you in its darkness—

The eternal, suffocating darkness.

oOo

It taunts you,

It tortures you,

And you fail,

Falling under the shadow of the Ring and its cruel Master.

oOo

Beware of its traps,

Of its offers.

oOo

Though It is a small thing,

The fate of the world is bound up in it.

oOo

It is nothing more than a whore,

It speak of nothing but of empty pleasures,

Of unhealthy obsession.

oOo

If you open your mind to it,

Thoughts of It will overwhelm you,

The temptation is very strong.

oOo

It will haunt you in your dreams,

Giving you no respite,

Ever battering at the defenses of your mind.

oOo

Some may fall prey easily enough,

Others are slowly taken by it,

And still others are able to resist it.

oOo

How to be rid of such a desire?

How to be rid of such lust?

oOo

Remember what you are fighting for,

What your purpose is.

oOo

Remember what you have promised,

What oaths you have taken and must fulfill.

oOo

Put it out of your mind,

Think of what is good,

What is pure,

Of your higher calling,

Of freedom.

oOo

Resist the pull of the Ring,

The inveiglement of the lord of all rings,

And you will receive far more than what the Ring could ever offer,

For it offers no freedom,

But an eternal death.

**The End**

* * *

**A/N: **Comments are gladly received. Any flames will be dumped in Mount Doom.


	2. Corruption

**Title:** Corruption

**Author:** Calenlass Greenleaf

**Disclaimer:** I have no relation to Tolkien. Everything belongs to him. I make no money from this poem.

**Spoiler:** Spoilers for the Lord of the Ring and a part of HoME.

**Rating:** PG-13 because of the theme.

**Summary:** Second installment concerning the Ring. Subject: Corruption.

**A/N:** This is specifically on the Ring. I do not make any comparisons to anything, nor am I accusing anyone of anything. To quote Tolkien: "I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history, true or feigned, with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that many confuse 'applicability' with 'allegory'; but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author." (Not that I dislike allegory, but I am merely following Tolkien's lead.)

* * *

"_For five hundred years it poisoned his mind…" _—Galadriel in 'Prologue: One Ring to Rule them all', FOTR movie. 

"_Against the power of Mordor, there can be no victory. We must join with him…" _—Saruman in 'Saruman the White', FOTR movie.

"… _Blinded by their greed they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness and now they are slaves to his will...At all times they feel the presence of the Ring. Drawn to the power of the one..."_ — Strider in 'At the Sign of the Prancing Pony', FOTR movie.

* * *

**Corruption**

When the ring has taken hold of you,

No longer is it called obsession.

-

Rather, it is the beginning of corruption.

Corruption of the mind,

The soul,

And the spirit.

-

Slowly, ever so slowly,

It breaks you,

Corrupting you until all you remember is the Ring,

Lusting after it,

Its alluring beauty,

Its beckoning is most persuasive,

Swaying your resistances until you fall.

-

And you no longer fight,

Though you have tried,

You feel weak.

-

Your can barely remember the days before your obsession.

You have forgotten how to be free,

How be feel alive,

How to taste the wonders of the world,

For you care only about the one thing that you have your life bound to—

The Ring.

-

The Rings revels in this,

In the power it has over you.

-

You care nothing for simplicity,

Your youth,

And even your life is naught compared to the Ring.

-

You only think of corruption,

Corruption of yourself,

Of others,

Misleading them on the road you have chosen.

-----

But it is not too late to turn back,

To renew your thinking,

To escape addiction.

-

Do not be distracted by your desire for the Ring.

Though your intentions at the start may have been for good,

You must remember:

You cannot do any good deed with the weapon of the enemy.

-

For there is only one lord of the ring;

Only one who can bend it to his will.

And he does not share power.

-

Turn back before you fall into the shadow world,

Never to return.

**The End**

* * *

**A/N:** "For there is only one lord of the ring; only one who can bend it to his will. And he does not share power." was said by Gandalf in 'Many Meetings,' FOTR movie. 


	3. Addiction

**Title:** Addiction

**Author:** Calenlass Greenleaf

**Disclaimer:** The Lord of the Rings is the property of Tolkien. The Ring is also his.

**Spoilers:** Spoilers for the Lord of the Rings and a part of HoME.

**Rating:** PG-13 because of the topic and because of angst.

**Summary:** My third installment in a series of prose poems examining why so many people fell for the Ring. Subject: Addiction. No slash, sex, smut, profanity, or romance.

* * *

_Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul. _—Translation of "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them." 

_"Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life...Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends."_ — Gandalf in 'A Journey in the Dark,' FOTR.

* * *

Addiction: the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma. – from Dictionary. Com Unabridged.

* * *

**Addiction**

Now,

It is more than obsession.

-

Now,

It is more than corruption.

-

Now,

It is addiction,

A dangerous addiction to the Ring.

-

For now you have become a slave,

A slave to the Ring and its Master.

-

You care for nothing but the Ring.

It has become you life, your all.

-

Never do you let it out of your sight,

It must always stay with you.

-

Should you ever lose it,

It will never leave your mind.

-

You think of nothing but of protecting it,

Hiding it from others,

Coveting it.

-

You have been shunned,

Forsaken by your own people.

But you do not care—

You only want the Ring.

-

Its light is reflected in your hungry eyes.

You clasp it in your hands,

As if it was some amulet,

A charm to protect you.

-

It has become your god,

Your idol,

Your obsession,

Your corruption,

_Your addiction._

-

It is your very essence,

Your lifeline.

You cling it is as if it were your only salvation.

-

If the Ring is destroyed,

You, too, will be destroyed.

-------------

Is there any hope for such a creature?

For such a pitiable form of life?

-

There is.

-

Even now, there is still hope.

-

Learn how to love again,

Pure, simple love without lust.

-

Learn how to smile without malice,

How to show pity without scorn.

-

Learn how to trust again,

How to be a companion and a friend.

-

But you must have the will,

The will to return back to the good,

The will to change your ways.

-

Let go of your fear,

Your hate,

Your skepticisms.

-

For if you chose this road to walk,

You will not be alone.

There will be others helping you,

Guiding you.

-

Though you will come out not unscathed,

Though you may be scarred,

The greater cost will be if you do not return.

-

Return to the light.

Be rid of this addiction.

**The End**


End file.
